A Dog and His Boy
by Static O. Sventura
Summary: 1st Sherlock fic. Humans keep Hybrids (Animal-People) as pets. John's journey beginning as a puppy in a little no name pound. -Warnings inside- NO SLASH and AU


**DISCLAIMER: Just like Supernatural, I don't own Sherlock.**

…**I'm an awful person.**

**This is just a one-shot, but maybe someday it'll be an actual story. After I finish my Supernatural stories of course ^^;;**

**To my Supernatural Readers, sorry this is not an update. I started an update but my brain made this so… Sorry?**

**For this story, absolutely no slash! (Sorry, but I never write slash)**

**There are normal animals, but there are also regular humans and humans with animal features. The usual physical features are a tail and ears, but some have a few other animal features. These "Non-Humans" are basically pets. As for differentiating between the two, "animals" means regular animals and "Animals" means the human hybrids. On with the story!**

**WARNINGS: Umm, well this is Sherlock. Bullying, drug/alcohol use, violence.**

**Author notes have been removed**

Most of John's earliest memories are of the pound. The rusting kennels, the snapping and snarling Animals occupying them. John is only a puppy though, the only puppy in the pound, so he gets his own kennel where the other dogs won't bite him.

John doesn't like the kennel, but there's food and it's not outside, so he doesn't mind too much. Besides, it's in the pound that he gets his first home.

John is playing with his squeak toy when they come in. Two boys. One still a puppy by people standards, the other a not quite full-grown. The puppy person has curly dark hair that bobs up and down as he bounces along the cages. John watches with interest as the little human finally draws up to his kennel and falls still. Grey eyes examine John critically, going over everything. And then the human puppy speaks,

"Him, Mycroft."

The other boy sounds much older as he sighs,

"Sherlock, when Mummy said you could have a dog, she didn't mean some badly washed mutt."

John does not like the way not-puppy not-grown Mycroft says that and apparently, neither does puppy Sherlock. Grey eyes flash,

"Him."

Another sigh from Mycroft-Human.

Suddenly, John has a home.**  
**

* * *

Sherlock-Master lives in a big house with a big yard and big gates. John likes it very much, but he likes his new master more. Sherlock-Master likes adventures.

He tells John he's a pirate, and John doesn't really know what a pirate is, but if Sherlock-Master says he's a pirate, then he's a pirate. He also says John is his loyal dog and John likes that very much.

They play lots in the big yard, but sometimes in the house where the full-grown humans shout at them to stop. John thinks they should stop, but Sherlock doesn't and John is his loyal dog so he doesn't stop either.

Mycroft-Human is not so bad. He doesn't play with them, but he doesn't shout either. Plus, he's Sherlock-Master's littermate, so John decides he must be okay. Even if John doesn't like Mycroft-Human's stupid cat Anthea.

John sees Sherlock-Master's Dam sometimes, but Sherlock-Master's Sire is rarely seen. John doesn't mind though. Sherlock-Master is lots of fun, with his pirate adventures and loud violin.

* * *

John does not like this "School" that Sherlock-Master goes too. John can't follow Sherlock-Master to school, and John doesn't like that at all. John is a loyal dog and loyal dogs go everywhere with their boys, don't they? And Sherlock-Master is his boy, so why can't he follow him to school?

It's not fair.

Sherlock-Master likes school though. Well, he likes learning stuff, even though he knows it all already. Because Sherlock-Master is very smart, much smarter than other boys and John is very proud of his Sherlock-Master.**  
**

* * *

Sherlock-Master is holding John and crying, crying so very hard, and John does not know how to make him be okay.

Sherlock-Master is sobbing that the other human-puppies don't like him and John is shocked. How can they not like his boy? His Sherlock-Master is the smartest and bestest boy ever! John will go and he will bark at those mean human-puppies for making his boy sad. They must be stupid not to know his boy is special.

But for now, he will sit and take care of his crying Sherlock-Master.

* * *

Sherlock-Master keeps going to school and keeps growing bigger. He doesn't play pirates with John anymore. Instead, he plays with science and John watches him. He doesn't cry about mean human-puppies anymore. Of course, he isn't really a puppy himself anymore, and neither is John.

John can see the change in his boy's shape, but he has to look in a mirror to see his. Puppy fat is turning into muscle. He's gotten bigger, but not like Sherlock-Master. It's almost like Sherlock-Master went to bed one night and suddenly woke up all long and thin. His face used to be round, but now it's all sharp. But he's still John's boy, just like John's still his loyal dog.

Sherlock-Master's Sire dies, Mycroft-Human leaves his school for some kind of important human job. Then it's just John and Sherlock-Master and Sherlock-Master's Dam still in the big house with all the servants.

* * *

John is worried for Sherlock-Master. It's not about school, Sherlock-Master hasn't liked school since he was a puppy. But he thinks his Sherlock-Master is sick. He is so much paler than usual, and he does not eat much. John knows growing humans need food, and his boy is definitely growing. Sherlock-Master is so tall and so thin. Like a well-dressed scarecrow.

John is very worried.

He sees, sees his boy with the scary needles. He does not like the scary needles, does not like the way his boy looks at them, does not like the way they make his boy act. He knows you get medicine from needles, he's been to the vet, but these do not seem like good medicine needles. Good medicine needles make you better. These scary needles make Sherlock-Master sick. And it scares John, scares him very much. His boy is not supposed to look like he does.

One day, while Sherlock-Master is at school, John hides the scary needles somewhere else, because he is a loyal dog. He takes them out back and buries them. Sherlock-Master comes home and can't find the scary needles.

It is not pretty.

John watches with wide-eyes as Sherlock-Master rips his room to pieces. Sherlock-Master's Dam is away and the rest of the house's occupants stay out of his way.

Sherlock-Master finally turns to John and stares at him. It's like when Sherlock-Master was still a human-puppy and picked him at the pound, except this time, his eyes are not nice. They remind John of the dogs in the other kennels, the not-nice ones that barked and snapped and snarled. Sherlock-Master snarls too as he pushes past John. John follows him out back. Sherlock finds his hiding spot and digs up the scary needles, but the dirt has ruined them, making John feel a warm glow of success.

It doesn't last long.

Sherlock-Master is screaming bad, hateful, hurtful things at him.

"YOU STUPID MUTT! _**YOU STUPID MUTT!**_"

John is scared, very scared, because Sherlock-Master has never acted like this. He thought he was helping his boy.

Then his boy hits him.

* * *

One of the servants must have called Mycroft-Human, because he shows up at the house. Sherlock-Master is not there, but John is. John is lying curled in Sherlock-Master's trashed bedroom, tears soaked into his bruised cheek. Mycroft-Human just looks at him from the doorway. John has always thought that Mycroft-Human is odd. All humans show what they feel on their faces, except for Mycroft-Human. Even Sherlock-Master used to show his feelings, but not anymore.

Right now though, Mycroft-Human looks very tired and very sad.

He wades through the mess and, in a very un-Mycroft-Human-like way, sinks down to sit beside John on the floor. His expensive suit wrinkles but he doesn't seem to care. He just sits there, stroking John's ear like Sherlock hasn't done in a very long time.**  
**

* * *

Sherlock-Master doesn't come home that night. Or the night after it.

John doesn't know if he really wants him too.

* * *

Mycroft apologizes to John, but he can't keep him. He knows someplace where John will be taken care of though.

He pulls some strings and John is sent to a training center for Animals that help medical personnel. John is taught how to help people. He likes it very much.

Eventually his training is over and he's placed with a group of human paramedics. John is excited to help people.

* * *

On his first day, they're called to a bad part of London for an overdose.

One of the people they come to help has a gun.

John is shot.

His team is killed.**  
**

* * *

John's leg hurts him. The vet gives him a needle with medicine that makes it stop hurting. But the needle scares John, and John doesn't want it. The vets don't understand. They think there's something wrong with him because he whines and whimpers. They give him more medicine that makes him feel odd.

John is starting to think that all needles might be scary needles.**  
**

* * *

John is 19. He's in another pound now. They give him medicine to stop his leg hurting. The vets say he has something wrong with him. They say being shot has made him anxious. They give him medicine for that too.

Nobody wants a crippled dog on anti-anxiety medication.

Sometimes, John wishes he'd never hid Sherlock-Master's scary needles.

* * *

He doesn't know how much time passes, but one day, John has a new master.

Jim-Master is a little taller than John, but that's not saying much. He wears an expensive suit and is very rich.

He buys John new clothes and a sparkly collar with John's sparkly new name on it.

Sebastian.

John doesn't really care anymore.

* * *

A whole corner of Jim-Master's room is just for Sebastian, filled with exquisite silk cushions and specially made silver food bowls.

For breakfast, they dine on a full English breakfast.

Lunch is either lobster or steak with a rich wine to compliment it.

Dinner is a four-course affair complete with champagne that differs every night.

During the day, Jim-Master might sneak him a treat of caviar or chocolate or a few fingers-worth of scotch.**  
**

Jim-Master is gone a lot on important work, but Sebastian doesn't mind. Jim-Master's servants feed him, even if they don't slip him treats like his master does, and leave the flat screen on for him. When Jim-Master is gone on business, Sebastian reclines on his cushions and watches the telly. There's more to do when Jim-Master is home. Then, Sebastian curls up on the couch as Jim-Master rubs his ear and they watch the flat screen together. This is always good, because Jim-Master always has a snack or a drink and he always shares it with Sebastian or lets him have a few sips.

Jim-Master is silly. He makes silly faces, and his voice changes lots. Sometimes he's scary and shouting, but never at Sebastian, so Sebastian doesn't care. Jim-Master doesn't hit him or call him bad things. Sebastian isn't sure, but he thinks that might be a good thing. It's so hard to remember though.

* * *

Sebastian spends day after day laying on his cushions, watching television and being fed. His leg doesn't hurt that much, but it never hurts if he doesn't use it, so he decides it's a good idea not to use it. Unless Jim-Master wants him to sit on the couch, then Sebastian will crawl over. Jim-Master laughs when Sebastian does that, and laughter means happiness so that's good.

Sebastian's body starts to feel as heavy as his brain does but he doesn't care. In fact, Sebastian doesn't really care about anything anymore.

He thinks he used to have another master, but he just remembers the shouting.

He thinks he used to help people, but he just remembers pain.

He thinks he remembers a pirate with black curls and grey eyes that called him John, but that must be a dream because his name is Sebastian.

* * *

One day, Jim-Master doesn't come home.

That's not unusual, Jim-Master sometimes stays gone for very long amounts of time. What is unusual is that one of Jim-Master's servants is sitting on Jim-Master's bed.

With a gun.

Sebastian remembers guns mean pain, but he doesn't panic.

Because Jim-Master's servant has the gun pointed at himself.

* * *

Sebastian is asleep when the door is broken in and policemen and their Animals burst in. He lazily watches them find the body of Jim-Master's servant. It's all rather boring though and he so very tired, so he closes his eyes.

"Looks like he had a dog."

Sebastian ignores them.

"Golden retriever I think."

"Are those food bowls?"

"Yeah. S***!"

"What?"

"Guy's feeding his dog lobster and wine!"

"Rich b…"

Sebastian stops listening to them. They think Jim-Master's servant is his master. Oh well…

There's suddenly a hand on his ear. He yawns and looks up.

The man is tall with a thin, pale face.

"…John?"

Sebastian yawns and goes back to sleep.

* * *

The vets tell him that this is a special hospital, just for Animals. Sebastian ignores them and goes back to sleep. But the vets don't like that. They talk about "weaning him off" something. The food they give him is good, but it's not caviar and champagne. In fact, there's no wine there either. Or scotch.

Jim-Master would say they have not taste.

They make him get up on his feet and walk. At first he whimpers and whines, then he snaps and snarls, then he's back to whimpering and whining, before finally he's silent.

He walks when they tell him to, even though it's hard and he can't do it right. He has to do other exercises too.

Gradually, he doesn't have to sit in the chair with wheels anymore. They give him an odd four-legged cane thing. Then they just give him a cane because of the limp.

His body starts to feel lighter, his mind clears, and the pervasive drowsiness fades. Sebastian starts to feel alive again.

Then the man visits him. Sebastian recognizes him.**  
**

* * *

Sherlock-Human looks better than the last time Sebastian saw him.

He's still pale, still thin, but he doesn't look sick anymore. His eyes are crystal clear and sharp as a hawk's. Although his hair is still a mess of dark curls.

Honestly, Sebastian is a little scared. He doesn't know what Sherlock-Human wants. Is he still in trouble for burying the scary needles?

"Hello, John."

Sebastian searches his memory. Yes, that was his name.

"Although I suppose your name is Sebastian now."

He wonders how Sherlock-Human knows that, until Sherlock-Human holds up a collar. His collar. The one Jim-Master got him.

"They said your memory might not be very good after being given Alprazolam for so long. It would also explain the condition we found you in."

Sebastian remains still in his bed, waiting. Sherlock-Human's face flickers briefly with some emotion before it goes blank again,

"I thought you were dead."

Sebastian isn't sure. Was he supposed to be sure?

Suddenly, long fingers are reaching towards him. Sebastian really can't help the violent flinch away. Sherlock-Human remains frozen, before resolutely continuing forward. Those same long fingers that last bruised his cheek now give his ear a gentle scratching.

"I'm very glad you're not dead, John."

* * *

Sherlock-Master does not take the scary needles anymore. He works as a consulting detective for Scotland Yard and lives in 221b Baker Street. His landlady not-housekeeper is Mrs. Hudson. Mrs. Hudson really likes John. She gives him biscuits and tea.

John has his boy back.

* * *

John gets to meet Sherlock-Master's friend Gregory Lestrade. He's D.I. Dimmock's dog. Nice enough German Shepard going prematurely grey. John doesn't blame him.

It's almost like when Sherlock-Master was a puppy, except… now he's more annoying and not a puppy, even though he acts like one.

One moment, he's silent and still as the grave.

The next, he's shooting holes in the wall.

The first time this happened, John hyperventilated. Even though Sherlock-Master didn't say it, John knows he's very sorry about that. Sherlock-Master bought him his favorite Chinese takeout afterwards. Now, John isn't afraid of guns. Lestrade even taught John how to shoot, something every Animal in law enforcement needs to know. John isn't in law enforcement, but he's glad he knows how to. Because Sherlock-Master gets in lots of danger.

* * *

When John first moves in to 221b, he learns Lestrade is the reason Sherlock-Master doesn't take the scary needles anymore. Lestrade says he told Sherlock-Master he would ask Dimmock to let Sherlock-Master help on cases if he would stop. So Sherlock-Master stopped. He also sees Anthea and Mycroft-Human again. He thinks Mycroft-Human might be happy to see him, but he's not sure. Anthea is still a stupid cat, even if she can talk and John can't. Lestrade can talk too. John's not sure if this makes him stupid.

He stops wondering that when he saves Sherlock-Master by shooting the evil cabbie in the head. Sherlock-Master figures it out because he's a genius and Lestrade because he gave John the gun. But they don't tell.

Sherlock-Master smiles and takes John to Angelo's.

John thinks he likes being a consulting detective's Animal.

* * *

It's while they're taking down a gang of art smugglers and murderers that Sherlock-Master brings up talking.

"You use to talk to me, John. Not much, but you did vocalize."

John thinks he remembers maybe talking. But he can't remember how. Sherlock starts to teach him.

When the crime is all solved, John says his first word.

"Sherlock-Master."

"Don't be stupid, John. It's just Sherlock."

* * *

"Hello, Sebastian."

John had forgotten all about Jim-Master after seeing Sherlock again. He should have told Sherlock and Lestrade!

But now it's too late because, Jim-Not-Master is strapping him into a vest full of explosives.

"So, doggy can speak now."

He puts the communicator into John's ear, wrapping him in a big blue coat. He gives John one of his familiar fond smiles, ruffling his other ear.

Sherlock comes, looking confused as to why John's there.

"Speak, doggy"

The evil voice whispers in his head. John wants to cry when he sees Sherlock's face. His boy thinks he's Moriarty. But Jim, no, Moriarty can't help himself. He has to show off.

Sherlock and Moriarty are both so smart. But John knows, he can smell it. Sherlock claims he's a sociopath. He's lying. But Moriarty…

Moriarty is a killer. And he likes it.

John tries to save his boy, grabs Moriarty, shouts

"Run!"

But his boy never listens because he thinks he knows everything. Sometimes, his genius boy can be so stupid. The Moriarty is gone and so is the bomb vest. They're okay, they're safe…

But they're not.

* * *

John laughs when Sherlock shows up in nothing but a sheet. His boy is so odd. He does not like it when Mycroft-Human tells him what to do. Mycroft-Human wants Sherlock to find The Woman, but John doesn't think Sherlock will.

Except Sherlock does.

When John walks into the room to find Irene-Human naked and Sherlock… sitting there, he can smell trouble. His poor Sherlock is confused. He thinks the Irene-Woman might have broken his brain. But after a few stutters, Sherlock is off at his usual pace. John hopes he's the only one that can tell Sherlock is more than a little flustered.

Poor boy.

When the men with guns come, John is helpless. John doesn't like that. But then Irene-Woman escapes after giving Sherlock a scary needle. John knows more my now to know that it's not the needles that are scary, but the drugs.

That old fear of what Sherlock was like last time worms its way through his gut. But then Dimmock and Lestrade are there and they help take Sherlock home. Thankfully, Sherlock will be okay. He's just a little loopy.

John knows the Irene-Woman is texting Sherlock. He can feel the change in Sherlock when she does. That, and she has personalized her message noise.

But suddenly, the Irene-Woman is dead and his boy, his poor, poor Sherlock, is heartbroken. It's hard to see, but John knows. They are worried that Sherlock might take the drugs again. But he doesn't. He just plays his violin. When John finds out the Irene-Woman is alive, he wants to shoot her. She hurt his boy! She doesn't understand how badly she hurt him. John tries to explain that Sherlock is different, she can't play with him.

Suddenly, Sherlock is mad and the world is moving so fast. Before he knows it, John is sitting in a café with Mycroft-Human. Irene-Woman is dead. For real this time. And they can't tell Sherlock. Mycroft-Human becomes just Mycroft that day.

And John can never understand the smug little smirk on Sherlock's face at any mention of Irene-Woman.

* * *

John does not like the Baskervilles. He does not like that his boy was frightened. He forgives Sherlock for shouting. It's hard being frightened.

However it's harder to forgive Sherlock experimenting on him. Maybe after a week of Chinese takeout.

…

…It was funny that Sherlock never knew Lestrade's first name. He's not always the brightest genius.

* * *

Moriarty is dead. Finally dead.

If only he hadn't taken his boy with him.

Anderson and Donovan have always hated his boy. Stupid idiot and his stupid cat. They wanted him to be a villain. John's also angry with Dimmock and Lestrade, but mostly Lestrade. How could they believe those lying…

Sherlock cares. He says he doesn't, and everyone believes him, but John knows he cares. He cares what others think. Mycroft hurt him, Lestrade hurt him, London hurt him, and John would love nothing better than to hurt them all back.

But for right now, John is waiting.

His boy has to wake up someday.

* * *

John is comfortable, sitting before the fire. After all, winters are so cold and fires are so warm.

It's been seven months since the great Holmes-Moriarty scandal. Kitty Riley, trashy yellow journalist that she is, found herself quickly out of a job not long after the story was printed. Apparently, the British government didn't like it that much.

The government also cleared up the matter of Sherlock's innocence, even if it took some time. Sadly, not everything can be fixed quite so easily.

Gregory Lestrade, hard-working police dog of seventeen years was retired.

Thankfully, so were Anderson and Donovan.

And Sherlock…

"John, is he awake?"

John stretches and stands up as Mycroft walks into the living room. John had never really realized how much he'd missed the old family estate until he was living there once more.

The doctors did say it would be good for Sherlock to be somewhere familiar and quiet.

John gently prods the blanket-covered figure on the couch,

"Sherlock? Sherlock, it's time to wake up."

There's an annoyed grumble, but John just chuckles and pulls the covers away from Sherlock's face.

He finally starting to get some color back, and his hair looks closer to normal now than before when the doctors had chopped it off so they could operate. John smiles,

"He's starting to look more and more like his old self."

"Emm, My?"

"I brought you a present, brother dear."

It takes some effort before John can get him awake and sitting up. His boy reminds him strongly of a sleepy puppy. John carefully repeats again,

"Mycroft's here, Sherlock."

Sherlock's hand reaches up, grabbing onto Mycroft's suit

"Brek… Y-you have breakfast w-w-w-with the… Prime-Prime…"

"The Prime Minister. Yes, Sherlock, I do. Breakfast with the Prime Minister."

"In two, n-no, one hour."

"Yes. One hour."

Actually, it's dinner, but Sherlock's smile is worth it.

"How did you know?"

"Y-your suit. His wif-f-fe gave it… to you."

John's tail wags happily,

"Brilliant, Sherlock."

The doctors said it would get better. And it could have been much worse. He could go back to the way he was before. But probably never exactly the same again.

John doesn't mind. He'll always look after his boy.

And it's just icing on the cake when Lestrade comes in, tail tentatively wagging a hello.

Yeah. Things are going to be just fine.

**THERE! It's done! This took me most of a day to finish! So much effort ^^;;**

**So… This could one day become a series. If anyone is interested.**

**I'd love to know what you guys think! :D**

**Also, apparently instead of being helpful it was inconveniencing to the readers, I have removed the author's notes from within the text.**

_Static_


End file.
